South Africa Cabinet Pays Condolence to families of Jagersfontein Disaster
The relatives of those who perished after the tailings of an abandoned local mine in Jagersfontein, in the Free State, burst through and unleashed a catastrophic mudslide around dawn on Sunday, September 11, 2022, have received the profound condolences of Cabinet.
Additional casualties of the accident included extensively destroyed homes, automobiles, and local infrastructure.
On Monday, September 12, 2022, President Ramaphosa paid a visit to the disaster area and expressed gratitude for the rescue and recovery efforts being made there.
Following its virtual meeting on Wednesday, the Cabinet released a statement in which it expressed encouragement over the mine’s owners’ declaration that they are prepared to offer the government with technical assistance should the Minerals Council South Africa ask for it.
The mining sector continues to make a sizable economic contribution through direct and indirect employment, export revenue, and foreign direct investment. It also significantly contributes to the improvement of the quality of life in mining communities.
“The government and a few non-governmental organizations stepped in as soon as possible, offering immediate refuge, trauma counseling, and essentials like blankets, mattresses, and food boxes. Since then, the area’s electricity and water supplies have been restored, according to Cabinet.
Cabinet stated that technicians are anticipated to conduct structural evaluations of homes after the catastrophe site has been cleaned up.
Cabinet also expressed gratitude to the people, civil society organizations, and emergency services for their contributions and aid.
infrastructure Development
The opening of the new stretch of the Musina Ring Road in Limpopo, which will improve access to Musina and enable more trade and economic activity between South Africa and the member states of the Southern African Development Community, has been welcomed by Cabinet in the interim.
The R640 million project gave people access to over 275 full-time jobs and prospects for small, medium, and micro businesses (SMMEs).
The government’s infrastructure program, which is being carried out under the ERRP, aims to promote inclusive growth and employment opportunities in a variety of industries and localities.
Economy
Cabinet also discussed the state of the economy after Statistics South Africa’s (Stats SA) most recent data revealed that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.7% in the second quarter of 2022.
This decline was influenced by load-shedding, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the high cost of living, and inflation.
“The Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan’s (ERRP) initiatives have mainly shielded the nation from external pressures while also preserving jobs and standard of living.
According to Stats SA’s most recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey data, which revealed that over 648 000 jobs were added between the first and second quarters of 2022, “Government’s aggressive economic measures are beginning to yield fruit,” Cabinet noted.
